Sailing-Ainslie avoids further punishment for boat fracas

LONDON

LONDON Feb 10 Triple Olympic gold
medallist Ben Ainslie was given the green light on Friday to
compete at the 2012 London Games when he escaped further
punishment for confronting a TV crew at the world championships
last year.

The five-times world Finn champion was disqualified from the
Perth competition for "gross misconduct" in December after
boarding a media boat and remonstrating with the crew for
impeding his progress.

Ainslie was quoted by British media as saying he feared the
Royal Yachting Association (RYA) might impose a further penalty
that could thwart his Olympic hopes.

British sailing's governing body decided, however, that the
original sanction was sufficient.

"It would not be appropriate for the tribunal to impose a
penalty over and above that imposed by the international jury at
the event," the RYA said in a statement.

Ainslie, 35, has won two Olympic Finn golds and one in the
Laser Dinghy.
(Reporting by Toby Davis, editing by Tony Jimenez)